5.12 - Sustainability Flashcards
1
Q
Sustainability
A
Consuming a resource or using a space in a way that does not deplete or degrade it for future generations
2
Q
Maximum Sustainable Yield
A
- The maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be harvested without reducing or depleting the resource for future use
- Roughly ½ carrying capacity. Maximizes yield (resource harvest) and regeneration rate of population
3
Q
Environmental Indicators of Sustainability
A
- Factors that help us determine the health of the environment and guide us towards sustainable use of earth’s resources
Biodiversity
- Genetic, species, and ecosystem
- Higher biodiv. = healthier ecosystems
- Declining biodiv. can indicate pollution, habitat destruction, climate change
- Global extinction rate = strong env. indicator since species extinction decreases species richness of earth
4
Q
Food Production
A
- Indicates ability of earth’s soil, water, and climate to support ag.
- Major threats to food prod. = Climate change, soil degradation (desertification, topsoil erosion), groundwater depletion
- Increasing meat consumption = further strain on food prod. (takes away water and land from grain production)
- Global grain production per capita has leveled off & sown signs of decline recently
5
Q
Atmospheric Temperature and CO2
A
- Life on earth depends on very narrow temperature range
- CO2 is a GHG (traps infrared radiation & warms earth’s atm.)
- Increased CO2 = increased temp. - Deforestation (loss of CO2 sequestration) & combustion of FF (emission of CO2) increase atm. CO2
- Increasing CO2 = unsustainable (Dries out arable (farmable) land, destroys habitats, worsense storm intensity)
6
Q
Human Population and resource depletion
A
- As human pop. grows, resource depletion grows
- Resources are harvested unsustainably from natural ecosystems & degrade ecosystem health
- More paper (lumber) = deforestation
- More food = soil erosion, deforestation, groundwater depletion
- More travel = FF mining = air, water, soil pollution, habitat destruction
